I have all sorts of questions running though my mind...I'm now thinking about the music, lighting and dance floor:

- For those of you who had the wedding in the Palapa, did you feel the need to add a dance floor? If so, how big?

- I've read that some brides were lucky enough to have the Palapa light up in various colors as the Hotel was testing out some lighting companies - did any of you purchase lighting leds, lamps, etc?

- in terms of music, I've heard mixed reviews re: the hotel DJ. @calgarybride2015 - how did the DJ handle your wedding? did he follows your requests? I wonder if he/she will do so if I put together a playlist on a laptop or ipod.

- we just had standard lighting and paid for the Chinese hanging lanterns. I've never seen the palapa lit in different colors. This came up recently and I think a bride was going to ask if they could. The resort does light up the resort in different colors

-hotel DJ was awesome. I just told the WC what genres I liked and they went with it. They took requests too so the guests got their picks too. He fed off the crowd and everyone was dancing all night. They don't MC though. I had an MC and he just got the mic as needed. The WC gave him the important songs to play

I think you could rent a sound system but I think it's changed. The answer may be back a couple pages. But I believe @JoannaBanana can answer that.

I've never seen the palapa lit in different colors. This came up recently and I think a bride was going to ask if they could. The resort does light up the resort in different colors

I think you could rent a sound system but I think it's changed. The answer may be back a couple pages. But I believe @JoannaBanana can answer that

This was me asking around about lighting. I never got a proper answer from Adriana. She told me, yes different colour fabrics can be added for an extra charge.". I said I think you misunderstand my question and rephrased, but she never answered my question. So if you find out please please report your findings.

I also asked about adding the lights that go up the sides of the palapa as I saw it in a photo but didn't get a direct response about them, and didn't see it in the cost of extras. So I don't think it's still offered or if it is, it is expensive. We didn't get a dance floor bc like others have said, using that money elsewhere. We also went to one wedding where so many people dancing that some had to be off the dance floor and some fit on - made it a bit awkward.

I am going with the BBQ menu as well.
We are in Palapa till midnight and then continue party with whoever wants to stay up in the disco.

For the cocktail hour, we got a high table with chairs plus the lounge furniture (for those with mobility issues) so people have a place to sit if need be.

I drew a map! As mentioned in my disclaimer - the proportions are probably way off cuz it's from memory. In fact I know the chapel and palapa are closer together than I implied. I can't recall just how close the disco is. It's close enough for convenience but far away enough for privacy.

@JoannaBanana, do you remember whether the Chapel is within walking distance from the Beach ceremony place?

I'm thinking of having the religious ceremony right before the beach symbolic wedding where we'll exchange our vows, etc. My family is very adamant that we include the religious ceremony and I'm trying to make it work. The plan is to have everyone walk to the beach right after the religious ceremony.

Has anyone had a similar experience or read something similar? Is the beach that's closer to the chapel the same beach as in the attached photo?

Also, who officiated the symbolic wedding on the beach for you ladies? Was it someone who worked at the hotel (some resorts have their bell boy play the part - and I certainly don't want that) or was it an actual/formal officiant?

The picture you've posted above is the public beach spot. You can tell as there isn't rock and you can just enter the water. I'll post a pic below of the private beach at the palapa

If you are using the palapa and the private beach they are all at the same spot. When you pull up (lol in your golf cart) the chapel is to the right and the palapa to the left with the beach in front. I'll post a couple more pics.

I actually had some photos taken on the steps of the chapel!

No at the GS it's an actual officiant. Not always the same one but they aren't bell hops and such. The one we had, had been doing it for a long time and spoke 10+ languages. Funny enough another bride on here had the same gentleman at a different resort lol!!!!

Have a couple more pics but have to get them off the pc. As you'll see in my pic below you can't enter the water. That's how you tell them apart from pics.